The well-known Algerian politician Rabah Ben Cherif appeared in a video wearing tattered clothes and working as a vegetable seller, shocking Algerians who lamented his situation for a long time. The video shows the first professor of biotechnology in Algeria, Africa, and the Arab countries working as a greengrocer. He stated, "Professionals like mechanics, greengrocers, and painters are better than doctors and engineers, because education in Algeria is based on deception."
The founder of the National Party for Solidarity and Development in 1989 (which opened the door for multiparty politics) returned in the same widely circulated video to explain some of his ideas that have long stirred controversy in previous years, and many specialists have since acknowledged their validity and that they were ahead of their time and visionary.
Among these ideas is what is referred to as the "Desert Sea," which means creating a river from the Mediterranean Sea towards the desert to form a large lake for agricultural use. Algerians expressed their regret over Ben Cherif's current state after years of absence, noting that he had announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential elections and had expressed his intention to run in the 2019 elections, which were halted by the popular Hirak protests.
One commented, "Since Algeria's independence, talents have been marginalized, while positions are given to those who do not deserve them," while another remarked, "It has become clear that there is no place for serious politicians in our country." Others called for restoring honor to the man: "In recognition of what he has offered to the nation, Ben Cherif should be honored, but also his visionary ideas should be implemented."
Rabah Ben Cherif is considered a prominent Algerian figure, known for his political activity as the leader of the National Party for Solidarity and Development, in addition to his intellectual contributions and controversial reform ideas. The party participated in parliamentary elections, achieving notable results and winning several seats in the Algerian parliament, and published numerous articles and books covering various political, social, and cultural topics before disappearing from the political scene for years.
